The Thorns of a Rose
by Writer-of-many-subjects
Summary: Rose Carnahan left her family behind to join the Great War. After the war is over what else is there for her to do but have adventures with a professor of archeology. It wasn't until she got a feeling she was needed in Egypt did she return to her family.
1. Chapter 1

Do I own the mummy? No, I don't, but what I do own is a set of skills, but I don't know if writing is one of them. Why don't we wait and see? Please enjoy this story!

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Chapter 1

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_Jonathan and Evelyn,_

_I know you two are angry at me, but I had to leave. The atmosphere back home was stifling. I needed freedom. I wanted to do something adventurous._

_Though, I gather the youngest of us isn't too pleased with me joining the Great War. You two would be pleased to know that I am being looked after. The pilot of the plane that I co-pilot makes sure that my secret remains a secret. Winston thinks it's a riot that I'm able to hide as well as I do._

_This war is starting to lag, and it seems as though there's no end in sight. Even when it does end, I don't know what I'll do after. I can't come home, not for a while. I'm sorry if that upsets you two, but please know that I need some time to myself to think. I need to figure out who I am._

_With lots of love,_

_Rose Carnahan_

_15, January, 1918_


	2. Chapter 2

There is very heavy inspiration from Indiana Jones in this story.

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Chapter 2

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_Jonathan Evelyn,_

_It's been a while, hasn't it? I don't know how to explain what I've been doing since the war. It's been a couple years and I wonder how things back home have changed. Are you still working in Egypt Evelyn? Jonathan have you found your true calling or are you in prison? That wasn't a good question, if you were in prison then you wouldn't be reading this._

_I was hired by a man named John Smith, Professor John Smith. He's an archeologist, he's housing me while I'm in America getting my degree. Right now, he's chasing the Holy Grail, I might end up in your neck of the woods but won't be staying for long. I'll be back to visit when I finally feel like the time is right. _

_I'll be sending another letter after this adventure is over. The next time I come home you'll hear all about my adventures. I've made sure to write them down so that one day I can tell you two. Maybe I'll even write a book about them, I don't know. _

_Love always,_

_Rose Carnahan _

_14, February, 1921_


	3. Chapter 3

There is very heavy inspiration from Indiana Jones in this story.

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Chapter 3

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**_Egypt 1923_**

A man with short dark hair was staring at a book in an oddly small hand. Grey eyes moved side to side as he read the book. It was written in a language that was supposed to be dead. The man looked up from his book and a grin broke out on his face.

"You look a little worse for wear, O'Connell," He said, his voice soft and heavy with a British accent.

O'Connell, a rather dashing young man with brown hair a shade or two lighter than the other man's, gave him a face before motioning towards their little Hungarian friend. The man winced in understanding before turning back to his book. He had been really into it. It wasn't everyday that you read about Pharaoh Seti the first and his daughter Nefertiri, who had died at the same time only to be succeeded by his other daughter Seshen. She had ruled Egypt for a good forty years before she stepped down and allowed her son Ramses to rule.

"Anything interesting, Ron?" O'Connell asked him.

"Just history about Hamunaptra," He replied with a small frown, "It's a very interesting read, a bit like a drama you'd hear on the radio."

"I can't believe you listen to those," O'Connell muttered.

"What else is there to do out here?" He questioned with a smirk, "Upset that When Love Awakens didn't have the ending you wanted?"

O'Connell kicked his leg and he snickered in response. The American was so easy to mess with, he reminded him of his good old friend the Professor. The Professor was the reason that Ron was out with the French Foreign Legion, the promise of artifacts from Hamunaptra was something that both had wanted to find but the professor was busy with a dig out in Peru. The correspondence between the two was mainly letters written in shorthand.

"What's a professor from Cambridge University doing with a bunch of soldiers?" O'Connell asked him.

"Well, the idea of Hamunaptra has always interested me and my mentor," Ron replied as he put a bookmark in his book, "If one of us had to go out and find it, he said it should be the youngest besides he's still in Peru."

"Sounds like an interesting career path," O'Connell muttered.

"It is until you have to drink the blood of Khali," Ron muttered as he made a face that was a bit distant and he gave a slight shudder at the memory of drinking a dark red liquid that had made him feel blank.

That was the best way he could put it; blankness had been the right terminology. It was a weird thing to try and explain and that was what worked. He put his book away and rested against his pack. They were making camp before continuing towards Hamunaptra.

"Sometimes you are so girly," O'Connell informed him as he sat down across from him.

"It's my dashing good looks, isn't it?" Ron teased as the muscles in his hands tensed slightly, "You sure you aren't jealous?"

"Shut up," O'Connell rolled his eyes.

Ron let out a snort and looked towards the leader of the division of the legionaries he was traveling with. The man was a coward that had been able to schmooze his way up the chain of command. He felt that if they ran into any enemies, Tuaregs, the man would run off on them. He was usually a good judge of character.

It's why his brother was usually unable to steal from him, that and he knew that he'd get punched in the face.

"You think something's going to happen?" O'Connell asked him.

"Hey, I spent a year in the Great War," He replied, "You start to get a feel for when something wrong is going to happen, it's needed."

"I sometimes forget that you were in the war," O'Connell muttered as he took out one of his revolvers and began to clean them with an old rag, "You don't seem the type."

"I was in her Majesties Air Force," He replied, "I was paired up with a pilot that was equal parts crazy and equal parts booze."

O'Connell snorted at that description and took a drink of water from his canteen. He eyed his friend as the British man closed his eyes to get some sleep. The man dressed in the same uniform as he did, though the jacket was from his time in the military and didn't fill it out like the other men. He was slender, more athletic than anything. He had noticed that the other male typically stayed away when doing his privet business, that sometimes he would hear a more feminine tone to his voice before he would clear his throat and the husky tone was back.

Knowing his luck, his best friend was a girl acting as a man to get out of a boring life. He watched as Ron's head tilted back until it hit his pack. There was no snoring, but he was going to have dry mouth in the morning. He finished cleaning his first revolver and reached for his second.

Ron had made him wonder if he was interested in men. He was far prettier than he was handsome. Dark hair and grey eyes had captured his attention, but the way he talked was cultured. Smart too.

He had to be a woman, there was no Addams apple and there were bumps on his chest that only came from breasts. All the evidence was there for him to rat his friend out to keep him safe, but he couldn't make him go back to a life that would be excruciating compared to the one he now lived.

Oh, yes, he listened to the stories Ron told. The stories of ancient tombs in Peru and fights with the gangs in China while trying to get a small statue out of the country. The woman who had captured his mentors' heart while they were searching for the Holy Grail of all things. He knew there were things that Ron had never mentioned. He would pause in his stories and think about what to say next.

He'd seen the tattoo on his upper arm, the symbol of the templars. He knew his history as well, he had grown up in an orphanage where there were some sisters from the church that taught them out of the good book while the Arabic kids were taught out of the Qur'an. He had heard the myths of the templars. He knew that they were the protectors of the holy secrets. The Grail and the Ark, those were what they protected.

He didn't put much stock in mythical powers, but he believed that the items existed, not that they could do what they claimed. He didn't believe in things such as that. He looked towards his friend once more.

He did, he wore an Ankh around his neck like it could protect him from all the evil in the world. He gathered that it was given to him by his family, back when he lived with them, and that it was his most precious possession. It could be said that family was important to him, even if he hadn't talked to them in years. He saw the letters that he wrote- short as they were- were updates, so his family knew he was still alive.

"You're staring," Ron stated, his voice a little heavy with sleep and the tone feminine.

"Am I?" O'Connell asked and he watched as an annoyed expression played on his face.

"What do you want to know?" He asked as he put his arms to the side, "I'm an open book."

"Are you actually a man?" O'Connell asked, he was right to the point.

"Am I?" Ron muttered, "What if I'm not, what if I am, does it matter?"

"That's dodging the question." O'Connell pointed out, "Besides I'm just curious."

"You and Winston."

"Ron, just tell me the truth."

Ron eyed him for a few minutes, and he could almost see the gears turning in his head. He looked towards the side where their little Hungarian friend was sleeping. He didn't trust the small man, wouldn't trust him as far as he could throw him. He played with the Ankh around his neck.

"My name is Rosaline Carnahan," He answered in a low tone, low enough that no one else could hear him but enough that O'Connell could hear it, "I'm a twenty-two-year-old woman, I joined the air force before I turned fifteen. I was able to lie on my records and they allowed me in, I was tall for my age always have been."

Rose talking without lowering her voice was calming, she had a naturally deeper voice, but it was soft. He could listen to her for hours. Hell, she could be reading the newspaper and he'd happily listen to her. God, he was far too fond of her.

"I guess that means I can call you Rosie," He said, and her reaction was immediate.

"I'll shoot you if you do, Rick," She informed him, "I already dislike the fact that Izzy calls me Ronaldo out of spite for getting him shot by a belly dancer."

He still didn't know how she had accomplished that; all he knew was that she had some serious persuasion techniques that she refused to share. He was happy that her friend Winston had sent him her way, he had helped the Professor on a dig in Egypt a year ago. Meeting Rose had been interesting seeing as she almost shot him when he snuck up behind her.

"Any plans for when you get what you want out of the city?" He asked her.

"I'll spend some time staying here with my family and possibly work at the museum," She answered as she pushed her greasy hair back, "I need a small break from the adventuring, the last one really did take a lot out of me."

She rubbed a spot on her shoulder with a slight wince. She had been shot during the search for the grail, she may be friends with the one who did it, but it hurt whenever she thought about it. The camp was filling with the sounds of snoring and she relaxed against her pack a bit more. O'Connell came to join her; her pack was filled with more items than his own and put his guns away.

"Makes sense," He muttered, "Make sure to invite me to your next grand adventure, I'm still looking for a good time."

"Haven't been able to find it yet?" She asked him with a slight grin.

"Maybe."

* * *

The sun was overhead and was bearing down on them, the heat was getting to be annoying. Rose and O'Connell were walking side by side in the decrepit city. He was keeping an eye out as the rest of his comrades looked around at the tall pillars that jutted out from the sand. He watched as she stopped next to a smaller pillar and began to read what it said.

"Go left," She muttered out loud, "How helpful."

"Careful, you can almost taste the sarcasm," O'Connell told her, and she sent him a dirty look.

She went to say something but paused. She could hear something rumbling in the distance, it almost sounded like horse hooves hitting the soft sand. She went to grab at her pistols as a bead of sweat went down her face, the heat was hitting a crescendo and it wasn't going to stop.

"I believe we have company." She informed O'Connell.

"It's just like old times then." He stated as they regrouped with the other legionnaires.

"Of course, it is, Rick," Rose smirked, her voice lowered so the tone was more masculine.

He didn't even react to it as they stopped at a sandstone wall and got ready to fire at the incoming enemies. She had found a spare rifle. He didn't even want to know how she found it; he was just glad that she had.

"I had a feeling this was going to be a lousy day," O'Connell muttered as he cocked his rifle, their little Hungarian friend came up to them.

"Personally, I would like to surrender," the Hungarian said, "Why can we not just surrender?"

"Because some of us have something called integrity, Beni," Rose stated as she started to line up her shot.

"Shut-up and give me your bandolier," O'Connell ordered him, "It's not like you're going to use it."

Beni rushed to pull off his cartridge belt. He handed it over to O'Connell with shaking hands. They were shaking so much that the shells were clinking together. Rose rolled her eyes at the sound and couldn't help but think back to the men she had fought with in the war. Those that acted as Beni did, didn't last long.

"Then let's run away, right not," Beni suggested, "While we can still make it."

"No." O'Connell said as he pulled on the bandolier with ease.

"Then let's play dead, huh?" Beni was trying to get them to flee, "Nobody ever does that anymore."

"They'd stab you the moment they come across your body," Rose stated, "A body just lying there with no wounds? There's a reason that playing dead doesn't work."

"You could go find me a big stick," O'Connell told Beni.

"In the desert?" Beni questioned, "What for?"

"So, I can tie it to your back, you seem to be without a spine," O'Connell growled.

They continued to set up for the attack. Beni was muttering curses under his breath in different languages. It was a bit impressive that someone like him would be multi-lingual, but the cursing was starting to piss Rose off. He was purposely making noise just to make noise.

"How'd a guy like you end up in the legion anyways?" O'Connell asked.

"I got caught robbing a synagogue," Beni replied, "Lots of good stuff in them holy places; churches, temples, mosques, and who's guarding them?"

"Altar boys?" O'Connell replied.

Rose made a face. Beni had obviously attacked children. She would hit him and yell at him if she could, but that would give herself away. O'Connell seemed to notice and elbowed her in the side. She sent him a dirty look.

"I speak seven languages, including Hebrew, so my specialty was synagogues," Beni continued, "How about you? Kill somebody?"

"No, but I'm considering it," O'Connell stated as he gave Beni a dark look.

"What then? Robbery? Extortion? Kidnapping?" Beni continued to ask.

"None of the above, thank you." O'Connell shot them all down.

"Then what the hell are you doing here?!" Beni questioned.

"I was just looking for a good time." O'Connell grinned.

Rose gave a snort at that as the rest of the legion got into position. Leave it to Beni to think the worst of someone. O'Connell wasn't the type to kidnap someone or to steal if he didn't have a good reason. She gave him a side glance and shrugged when he raised a brow. Beni already knew why she was there, so he didn't even bother asking her. Not that she was complaining.

"Oh shit," O'Connell cursed as the Colonel panicked and raced away from the scene.

"Looks like you just got promoted," Beni informed him.

"Steady!" O'Connell shouted towards the men.

Several of the legionaries began to take off after the colonel. The closer the Tuaregs, the lesser their numbers were. Rose began to chew the inside of her cheek in worry, she didn't like the odds that she was being shown. This was going to be a bloodbath, a massacre. She just hoped that she was able to get out of it so she could go see her family.

"Steady!" O'Connell tried once again.

The Tuaregs opened their mouth and let out a war cry that was guttural. It was slightly chilling, but also ridiculous. Rose didn't know whether to be worried or amused. She settled for being moderately concerned.

"If I die," Rose started, "I want you deliver my last letter to my family."

"You aren't going to die," O'Connell informed her.

"I'll make sure to haunt you if I do." She muttered.

He rolled his eyes at her words. She was far too depressing sometimes. Maybe she was the one who needed a good time. He owed her a drink or two after this. He was brought out of his musings as the Tuaregs readied their rifles and took aim. He hunched his shoulders in preparation of firing the rifle.

"Fire!" He ordered.

A flurry of bullets rang out and quite a few of the Tuaregs fell off the horses they rode. O'Connell had to pull his rifle back to reload and Rose did the same. She was faster at it than he was, her time in the military had served her well.

"Fire!" He ordered once again.

More Tuaregs fell to the ground. He let out a curse, there were so many of them. He didn't know if this had been planned or not. Groups like this didn't typically fight in such large packs, or at least they didn't travel in large groups. This felt like a set up, and he didn't like it.

"Fire!" He ordered another group to shoot.

This time the Tuaregs fired back. A bullet bounced near the two and one grazed Rose's arm. She simply hissed at the burning pain that emanated from the contact spot. She knew that she was going to get shot.

"It really is like old times," She muttered as she finished reloading the rifle and taking another shot at the incoming men.

They weren't fast enough and the Tuaregs began to enter the city. O'Connell stood up and used the but of his rifle to hit the riders off their steeds. He was not going to die, not today at least. He felt something bump his back and watched as Rose easily reloaded her weapon and fired once again, getting a charging man to fall from his horse with ease. She was a joy to watch fight, didn't take any survivors.

"Think you might leave some alive?" He asked her.

"Rule one of war, don't injure the enemy enough that they can still get up because they can and will shoot you in the arse," She replied with a grim expression, "Seen it happen once or twice, duck."

He ducked and a Tuareg fell to the ground. Her gun was still smoking, and she gave him a small wink. He didn't realize that she was that snarky, must be the American influence.

"Might want to retreat," She told him.

They began to travel further into the city. They were fighting their way to have a safe retreat, though the way that their comrades were falling like flies didn't give them much hope for that. They ran out of rifle ammo halfway into the city. They caught sight of Beni trying to hide in a small chamber that led to a temple.

"Hey! Beni! Wait up!" O'Connell called.

Beni seemed scared by that and started to push on the heavy sandstone door even more. The door was being closed. O'Connell heard Rose let out a loud curse at that as they began to sprint towards the door. Beni closed it before they could get inside.

"I'm going to shoot him the next time I see him," Rose growled.

O'Connell nodded his agreement and grabbed onto her wrist as they began to sprint through the rest of the city. He turned a sharp corner and she easily followed. They came across a statue of Anubis, the thing easily stood above them. It was could have been a few stories tall. The four Tuaregs that had followed them were pointing their guns at the two.

"If we die here, I want you to know one thing," O'Connell started, "Your voice is beautiful, and I hope that one day you don't have to cover it up."

"Thank you, but what happened to we aren't dying," Rose asked him.

He simply shrugged and flipped off the Tuaregs in front of them. Rose simply shook her head at that and closed her eyes. She wasn't the type of person to look death in the face with a smile, she was going to close her eyes, so she felt as though she were sleeping. It was a strange concept to her, but it felt right. She opened her eyes when the sounds of horses running off cut through the air. The two shared a look before O'Connell stepped forward and brought her into an embrace.

They were laughing at the fact that they had lived. O'Connell put her down and let out a sound of disbelief. Rose stood there with a grin on her face before it slowly fell. There was something not right with where they were.

"Rick," She called, but she didn't get the chance to continue when the sand beneath them began to shift.

O'Connell let out a sound of surprise and they began to scramble away from the statue. The sand was rising and lowering as they moved away. O'Connell and Rose left as a face appeared in the sand. Its mouth was wide open in a silent scream. Neither stuck around long enough to see it.

"This is why I typically stay out of Egypt," Rose muttered, "Too much weird shit happens here."

"Hey, we lived," O'Connell stated, "It's the trip back to Cairo that could kill us."

"I'm quivering in anticipation," Rose informed him in a blank tone.

O'Connell could've said anything at that point, but he just allowed his eyes to travel down to her ass. She always had a nice one, he could admit that if it was on another male, he'd think it was still nice. She brought her hands through her short hair and he wondered what it would look like long. He looked towards the ridges that overlooked the area and noticed that they were being watched by a group of men on horseback.

"Don't stare at them, Rick," Rose told him, "They remind me of the Templars, bloody idiots didn't know how to keep things secret as well."

"Templars, huh," He said as he caught up with her.

"Yes, Templars," She smiled at him and he watched as she barely glanced up at the men, "Like I said, they're also bad at keeping things a secret."

He was intrigued, but he had a feeling she couldn't and wouldn't tell him anything. He would have to be closer to her to understand what she'd gone through in her life. It was like she was under oath. All he knew was that they had time until they reached Cairo.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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**_Cairo 1925_**

"You're depressed," A female voice stated.

"I'm not depressed, I'm just worried about him," Rose's voice replied, "I haven't heard from him in two years, I'm allowed to be worried."

"Ah, you fell in love with him," The female voice teased.

"Evy!" Rose exclaimed.

A woman with long dark-brown hair was chuckling at a red-faced Rose. Rose had grown her hair out to reach her shoulders and typically kept it up in a ponytail. She was holding a book to her chest and was glaring at the other woman.

"Do you want my help with these books or not?" She asked.

"Right, sorry," Evy stated with a slight huff, "I forget how tense you can be."

"Tense, she says," Rose muttered as she walked away shaking her head.

She looked down at the books in her arms, _Cleopatra_, of course she got the woman who would become an inspiration to Shakespeare. She stopped at the section of the bookshelf where the C's go. She counted until she found the right spot, it was just above her shoulder. She put it on the shelf and looked down at the next book, _Ramses II His Life through History_. She sighed, they really needed to update their sorting system.

She looked up when she heard a loud groaning before a thump. She scrambled out of the way of a falling bookshelf and watched as the rest of the shelves went down in a domino effect. Dust was kicked up into the air and she sneezed, it was like being back in the Venice Museum. She let out a shiver at the reminder of the catacombs.

The rat-infested catacombs.

"Evy!" She called out to her sister, "How'd you even accomplish this?"

"It was an accident." Evy stated in a defensive tone.

"I gathered, but holy hell, Evy," She said as she pushed her hair back from her face.

"Look at this!" A familiar voice stated and both Carnahan women turned to see the curator of the museum walking over a bookshelf to chew the youngest out, "Son's of the Pharaoh! Give me frogs, flies, locusts, anything but this!"

"Oh, no," Rose muttered under her breath, she had never seen him this mad before.

"Compared to you, the other plagues were a joy!" He finished his triad.

"I'm sorry, it was an accident," Evy tried to explain.

"My dear girl, when Rameses destroyed Syria, that was an accident," The curator said, "You are a catastrophe! Why do I put up with you?"

"Because she is one of the few people who can put up with you?" Rose asked in a sarcastic tone, "What I want to know is why this library doesn't have its bookshelves anchored down?"

"Miss Carnahan, I didn't know you were back in Egypt," The Curator stated as he gave her a look, "I will be making sure that they are properly anchored. Now, clean up this mess!"

He turned and quickly walked away from the two. He never yelled at her sister when she was around, she probably scared him. A war veteran and one that survived several digs into places such as Peru and China, no wonder she scared him. He had every right to fear her.

"I can't believe him," Rose muttered, "Didn't even ask if you were okay."

"It's all right," Evy told her sister as she sent the taller woman a look.

"No, it's not, but I'll drop it before we argue," Rose grumbled, she finally reconnected with her siblings she wasn't about to screw it up.

They were about to turn and clean the library up, but they paused when a loud noise came from the gallery. Rose reached towards her back where a gun was tucked into the waist band of her skirt and hidden under her military jacket. She had far too much experience with being attacked in peaceful places.

"Hello?!" Evy called out.

"Evy, I don't think whoever it is will answer," Rose quietly informed her.

"Oh, you are far too suspicious of everyone," Evy huffed when they heard shuffling from a nearby gallery, "Then again it is for a good reason, you didn't bring anything back home, did you?"

"No," Rose answered with a wince, "Just me and a friend."

"It could be Abdul, Muhammad or Bob," Evy tried to remain optimistic.

From the look on her sisters face it hadn't worked. They both tensed and walked towards the gallery. One sister had her hand on a gun and the other picked up one of the wall torches, so they had some light. It didn't brighten up much, but it got the job done.

Evy bit her lip and nervously looked towards her frowning sister. The taller woman was looking around the area, and every so often she'd see a find spark in her eyes at the sight of the treasures from the Middle Kingdom. At least that hadn't changed. Her manners, on the other hand, were a bit crude from being around the Americans for so long.

"Was that sarcophagus always open?" Rose asked her.

"I don't think so," Evy replied.

She walked up to it to inspect it and was promptly scared by a corpse popping up the moment she looked over the edge. She let out a scream and Rose sighed in relief when an awfully familiar laugh reached her ears. Leave it to their brother to be such a prat.

"You are so lucky I didn't go in guns-a-blazin'," Rose informed him as he gave her a drunken grin.

"You…you!" Evy couldn't even form a sentence from how angry she was.

"Drunkard? Fool? Rat-bastard? Please call me something original," Jonathan said as he pulled himself out of the sarcophagus and stumbled slightly.

"Dick," Rose offered with a shrug and grunted when Evy elbowed her in the gut.

"Only heard that one about ten times, little sister," Jonathan grinned.

"Ah, one can try," Rose muttered.

"Have you no respect for the dead?" Evy questioned their brother.

"Sometimes I'd rather like to join them," Jonathan told them as they helped him out of the sarcophagus.

Rose slapped him on the back of his head, and he winced. She had one hell of a hit. He gave her a small pout and she rolled her eyes. That look never worked on her.

"Well, I wish you'd do it sooner rather than later," Evy griped at him, "Before you ruin our careers like you did yours."

"My dear, sweet, baby sisters," Jonathan prattled on, "I'll have you know that at this moment my career is on a high note."

"High note?" Evy said before letting out a sharp laugh, "For five years you've been scrounging about Egypt and what do you have to show for it? Nothing!"

"Oh yes I do!" He defended as he began to search the pockets of his jacket, "I have something right here!"

"Oh no, not another trinket," Evy grumbled as the two sisters took a seat under one of the columns that connected to the ceiling, "Jonathan, if I bring one more piece of junk to the curator to try and sell for you."

"Okay, not a piece of junk," Rose said as she looked at the small box he had pulled from his breast pocket.

He handed it to her, and Evelyn watched as her sister moved her fingers around it in fascination, with a bit of familiarity. Her sister, the certified archeologist, was able to figure such things out after a while. She didn't have to wait for a minute before the bottom of the box clicked and slid open. It created a Star like shape and inside of the box sat an old piece of papyrus. That was handed to Evy.

"I think you've found something," Evy told him as she gently opened the papyrus.

They started to head up to the curator's office. Evy watched as Rose held onto Jonathan's shoulder. She gave her a look that clearly asked for a few minutes. She did as her slightly older sister wished and went on ahead.

"Where'd you get it?" Jonathan winced at his sisters' tone.

"Down at dig in Thebes," He lied.

"Jonathan, I know the man this came from," She hissed at him, "I haven't seen him in two years, where was he last?"

"Cairo prison," He finally relinquished and watched as she winced, "He was put in there a while back…how do you know him?"

"I was at Hamunaptra with him when he found it," She muttered, "Something we picked out of the sand on our way back to Cairo."

"Do I need to worry about him becoming my brother in law?" He asked her with a teasing grin.

Her face became a bright red and she punched his upper arm before they went into the curator's office and met up with Evy. She spared them a look and her sister sent her a small smile. The curator looked at the group of siblings. He folded his hands together and placed them on his desk.

"What do I owe the pleasure?" He questioned.

"We found something," Evy said as she held out the map to him, "See the cartouche there, it's the official royal seal of Seti the first, I'm sure of it."

"He was very rich, Jonathan," Rose said before her brother could ask, "The last Pharaoh of the old kingdom, he was said to be one of the wealthiest pharaohs of the dynasty."

"I like this fellow," He said with a nod of his head, "I like him very much."

"I've already dated it, this map is almost four thousand years old," Evy continues as if her siblings hadn't said anything, "And the hieratics over there point to Hamunaptra."

The Curator froze for a few seconds before scoffing. Rose narrowed her eyes at him, and the cogs started to move in her mind. He knew something, and she had a feeling that she knew what. Secret societies never doing their jobs correctly. She wondered how they lasted for so long.

"My dear girl, don't be ridiculous," The curator chided, "We are scholars, not treasure hunters."

"I'm trying not to be insulted," Rose said as she sat down in one of the plush armchairs in front of the Curators desk.

"Hamunaptra is a myth." He ignored her comment.

"The Hamunaptra?" Jonathan asked and everyone sent him a look.

"Yes, the city of the dead," Evy confirmed, "Its where the early Pharaohs were said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt."

"Right, right, in a big underground chamber," Jonathan said in a whimsical voice, frowning when the curator scoffed, "Oh come on, everybody knows the story, the entire necropolis was rigged to sink into the sand on the Pharaoh's command, a flick of the switch and it would disappear beneath the dunes."

"Brilliant bit of engineering if it turns out to be true," Rose commented with a slight smile.

"Honestly, you two," Evy chided her siblings, "All we know is that the city mysteriously vanished around 2,134 B.C."

Evy watched as her two siblings seemed to share a look. Jonathan seemed to be giving Rose the look he did when she was a child and didn't want to say something, or tell a secret. Rose fidgeted slightly and gave him a piercing look; she didn't want to say anything in front of the curator. She didn't trust the man.

"As the Americans would say, it's all fairy tales and hokum," The Curator said before shouting in surprise.

The Carnahan siblings sprang into action when the now aflame map fell to the floor. Jonathan and Rose patted it down with their bare hands as Evy watched them in fascination. Those two were rarely in harmony, it was both nice and terrifying to see. Jonathan let his little sister pick it up and winced when he saw the thunderous expression on her face, she was not happy with the destruction of the map.

"You burned it!" He said before Rose could sink her claws into the Curator, "You burned off the part with the lost city!"

"Perhaps its for the best," The Curator said as he folded his hands on his desk once again, "Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra, no one has ever found it, and most have never returned."

"You killed my map," Jonathan continued in a devastated tone.

"I'm sure it was a fake, anyway, I'm surprised at you two," The Curator continued, "Missus Carnahan's, to be fooled like that."

Jonathan quickly grabbed hold of Rose before she launched herself at the man behind the desk. Evy seemed surprised as her brother dragged their sister out of the office. She couldn't help but be a bit afraid of the glare that on her sister's face. She sent the curator a glare herself before leaving.

"One punch Jonathan," She heard Rose hiss, "Let me have one punch at him."

"Would you calm down," Jonathan sounded amused at his sister as she seethed in her anger, "I know you two, you know what you're talking about."

"Right, where'd you actually get the puzzle box?" Evy asked her brother.

Jonathan sighed as his sister stopped struggling in his arms and he knew that he would have to take them to the prison to find the man that he stole from. They hurried out of the museum and out into the hot sun. Evy put a hat on her head and Rose had to borrow one from Jonathan. She'd wear her cowboy hat, but she had left that at her flat at the English Embassy. She didn't know what strings the professor had pulled to not get her killed for lying on her military records, but she would forever be thankful. They had her stated as a woman, and still enlisted but off the battlefield. She was going to miss being out in the action, but at least she was still able to do archeology and teach at Cambridge.

"I can't believe you stole it," Evy hissed at their brother.

"I can, that's what I was questioning him about," Rose grinned, "Tried lying about a dig down in Thebes."

"I lie to everyone," Jonathan stated, "What makes you two so special?"

"We're your sisters," Evy huffed.

"That just makes you more gullible," He muttered.

He got a smack to the arm as the doors to the prison opened. Rose looked around with a slightly sad expression, the living conditions for those in the prison were horrible. She made a face as she saw who ran it. The warden was a fat man with grey teeth that had jumped up at the opportunity to escort them around the prison.

"I'm looking for the American chap," Jonathan informed the man.

"I know which one, you called ahead," The Warden grinned.

"And what's he in prison for?" Evy questioned.

"I did not know, so when I heard you were coming, I asked him that myself," He answered.

"And what did he say?" She asked.

Rose closed her eyes. If it truly was Rick, she knew exactly what he would say. She couldn't believe him sometimes. Why did she like him again?

"He said... he was just looking for a good time." The Warden answered as they reached the cell.

Oh, that's why. The interior cell door bust open and the Carnahans watched as a man was pushed through it. He glared at the guards behind him before looking towards the siblings. He studied each of their faces before stopping on Rose's. His eyes widened slightly as he tried to place where he had seen the woman before.

He had been in there a while; his short hair had grown to his shoulders and he had a beard. She didn't even want to ask how he got so many bruises. She looked toward the guards and narrowed her eyes slightly at them.

"So, who are you?" Rick asked Jonathan, "And who're the broads?"

"You really haven't changed much," Rose muttered in slight amusement.

"Broad!?" Evy asked in slight outrage.

"I'm a local missionary chap and these are my sisters," Jonathan quickly lied, "Evy and Rose."

"Yeah? Well, I'm sure they're not a total loss," Rick muttered as he grasped at the bars in front of him.

Rose snorted at that as Evy sputtered in outrage. Jonathan frowned a bit; he wasn't so sure he liked the man. He was rude, no wonder Rose thought he was funny. She had been around far too much American influence to the point where she was ready to pick a fight with a Curator of a museum. He knew there was more to her anger at the older gentleman than just American influence. He had burned something that, he suspected, people had died to find. He could never understand how his sweet sister could fight in a war.

She was too kindhearted when it came down to it, she hid it very well behind snark and possible trauma.

"I'll be back in a moment," The Warden told them as they heard a commotion coming from behind them.

"I tremble with anticipation," Rick muttered.

"We uh…found your puzzle box, and we've come to ask you about it," Evy told him as she got his attention.

"No." Rick stated.

"No?" Evy slowly questioned.

"No, you came to ask me about Hamunaptra," Rick answered.

"How did you know the box pertains to Hamunaptra?" Evy asked as she stepped closer to the bars.

"That's where he found it," Rose finally spoke up.

"Rosaline?" Rick asked.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing in Prison, O'Connell?" Rose asked him with a frown as she stepped closer to the bars.

"Looking for a good time," He shrugged.

She gave him a look and he wilted slightly. She rubbed at her temples and he watched as some of her hair escaped the ponytail it was in. He hadn't recognized her with her hair longer, or the feminine clothing. Two years made quite a difference.

"We need a guide to Hamunaptra, and I'd rather have more people with us that know the area and the dangers," She informed him.

"Always going headfirst into danger," He muttered, and she chuckled at that.

"What, I'm just looking for a good time," She teased, "But I need to know your plan."

"You gotta get me the hell outta here," He informed her before grasping onto the front of her jacket and pressing his lips to hers.

Jonathan let out a sound of surprise as his sister was shocked into silence. Rose blinked as Rick was pulled back by the guards, he gave her a meaningful look before he vanished back into the interior cell. The Warden came back and gave the siblings a look.

"Where are they taking him?" Rose asked him.

"To be hanged," He answered and a grin formed on his face as her shoulders tensed, "Apparently, he had a very good time."

Evy looked at her sister as it clicked. Well, she wasn't sure she liked the man that her sister loved, but she'd be damned if they didn't get him out of trouble. If she was right, he had been to Hamunaptra as had her sister. She linked arms with Rose and quickly dragged the woman off to save the man's life. She just hoped they wouldn't be too late.

"No women allowed," The Warden tried.

"Air Commodore Rosaline Carnahan, as part of the Royal Air Force I am allowed," Rose informed the man.

He sneered at her but said nothing as the two women easily entered the booth. Jonathan hung back towards the door in case he needed a quick escape. He watched as Rose stared at Rick from her spot at the railing. He could tell how nervous and trigger happy she was getting. Her fingers kept twitching.

"I will give you one hundred pounds to spare his life," Rose stated as Rick caught her eye.

"I would pay one hundred pounds just to see him hang," The warden said.

"Two hundred pounds." Evy tried.

"Proceed!" He shouted down to the executioner.

"Three hundred pounds!" Evy tried again, she was beginning to get anxious.

"Five hundred pounds!" Rose yelled as the man grasped the lever for the trap door.

"And what else?" The Warden asked as he put a hand on Evy's leg, "I'm a very lonely man."

Evy pushed his hand away from her in disgust and he gave an angered sound before motioning for the lever to be pulled. Rick went down the trap door and Rose closed her eyes. She didn't hear a snap and the angry yelling of the other inmates let her know that he was still alive. His neck didn't break. She quickly opened her eyes and began to think, she didn't have much time to save him.

"Him and my sister know the location to Hamunaptra," Evy informed the warden.

"You lie!" He stated.

"She would never!" Rose snapped.

"Are you saying this filthy godless son of a pig knows where to find the city of the dead?" He asked.

"Yes, we both do," Rose confirmed, "And I won't go without him."

"Truly?" He asked again.

"Yes, and if you cut him down, we will give you ten percent," Evy told him.

"Fifty percent." He bargained.

"Twenty."

"Forty."

"Thirty."

"Twenty-five!"

"Ah, deal."

The Warden looked shocked as he realized he got trapped into a twenty five percent cut of the treasure. He let out a sound of disbelief before shouting in Arabic for the executioner to cut the rope. The prison erupted into cheers and Evy was swept into a hug by her sister. Jonathan wiped at his sweating brow and moved out of the way as Rose quickly went to check on her friend. He motioned for Evy to hurry towards him and the youngest Carnahan gladly did so.

"O'Connell you bleeding idiot!" Those were words that struck fear into Rick as he reclaimed his things.

He turned and winced as a body slammed into his. He relaxed slightly when he looked down and saw a familiar head of hair. She didn't seem to care that he was filthy, just that he was alive. He glared at one of the prison guards who made a dirty gesture to his friend before pointing at her.

"You have any space at your place?" He asked her.

"Yeah, plenty," she smiled as she released him.

He grinned at that she she began to lead him to the embassy. She was let in with ease, her jacket did have her rank on proud display and he was sure she'd been promoted, and they quickly headed up the stairs. He looked around her apartment when they got inside. It was nice, sparsely decorated but homely, and screamed her. He couldn't help the look on his face at the paperwork that littered her dining room table.

"Bathrooms the second door on the left," She informed him, "I'll get you a spare towel."

She went to leave when he grasped onto her wrist and stopped her. She looked up at him in confusion before he brought her in for another hug. He was just glad to be alive. He felt a pair of hands on his back and tightened his hold on her.

"I have to ask, why'd you kiss me?" She asked him in a quiet voice.

"I was about to be hanged and it seemed like a good idea," He said, "I'm glad it was with you."

She didn't seem to know how to react with that and he watched as a pink faced Rose went to grab a towel for him. He chuckled before heading into the bathroom to clean up, the first thing to go would be the long hair and beard. He needed to talk with his friend and figure out a plan.

Everything was going to get convoluted and fast.


End file.
